Further evidence for magnetic susceptibility as a proxy for the
Transcription
Further evidence for magnetic susceptibility as a proxy for the
Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 DOI 10.1007/s12665-015-5187-8 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Further evidence for magnetic susceptibility as a proxy for the evaluation of heavy metals in mining wastes: case study of Tlalpujahua and El Oro Mining Districts Juan Morales1 • Marı́a del Sol Hernández-Bernal2 • Pedro Corona-Chávez3 Avto Gogichaishvili1 • Francisco Bautista4 • Received: 18 May 2015 / Accepted: 22 October 2015 Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016 Abstract Magnetic susceptibility is nowadays used in most areas of environmental research as a proxy for heavy metal pollution in industrial and urban areas. Although the relationship between magnetic susceptibility and concentration of toxic elements in different environments has been pointed out in several studies, mining wastes (tailings) have hardly been investigated by magnetic methods. We report the relationships between magnetic susceptibility and potentially toxic elements monitored at 12 vertical ground profiles of the Tlalpujahua and El Oro mining districts, western Mexico. Specific bulk magnetic susceptibility (k) measurements, percentage frequency-dependent susceptibility (%XFD) determinations as well as the identification of the magnetic carriers within the samples were accomplished using standard rock-magnetic techniques on geochemically well characterized sister samples. Magnetite and/or Ti-poor titanomagnetite seem to be the main magnetic carriers in the samples. Tight correspondence between k and Fe concentrations, as well as Pb and As with the iron content were found. This association seems to hold also for pH variations. & Juan Morales jjulio1962@yahoo.com.mx; jmorales@geofisica.unam.mx 1 Laboratorio Universitario de Geofı́sica Ambiental (LUGA), Unidad Michoacán del Instituto de Geofı́sica, UNAM Campus Morelia, Mich, Mexico 2 Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES), Unidad Morelia, UNAM Campus Morelia, Mich, Mexico 3 Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra, UMSNH, Morelia, Mich, Mexico 4 Laboratorio Universitario de Geofı́sica Ambiental (LUGA), Centro de Investigaciones en Geografı́a Ambiental, UNAM Campus Morelia, Mich, Mexico Keywords Mining tailings Magnetic susceptibility Potentially toxic elements Proxy Introduction Industrial mining in Mexico has been developed since 1550 and consequently there are abundant mining districts associated with several billion tons of waste mining (tailings) scattered around the country (Corona et al. 2010). Nowadays, the study of the distribution and concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTE) contained in the mining tailings acquires great relevance since it has been recognized that such elements may cause serious environmental and health problems to populations established in their vicinity (Monroy et al. 2002; Armienta et al. 2003; Talavera et al. 2005; Ramos-Arroyo et al. 2004; Canet et al. 2008 and references therein). Moreover, due to social and demographic aspects, among other reasons, tailings of abandoned mining districts in Mexico are now occupied and serve as settlements for various inhabitant groups. These studies are carried out traditionally by means of geochemical analysis, which are expensive, laborious and time-consuming. The need for fast and inexpensive monitoring tools of heavy metal pollution has led to the search of other methods of determination (Morton-Bermea et al. 2009). The correlation between magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal content has been reported in numerous works (Petrovsky et al. 1998, 2001; Durza 1999; Shu et al. 2001). This correlation could be due to the fact that heavy metal elements are incorporated into the lattice structure of the ferrimagnetics during combustion process or are adsorbed onto the surface of ferrimagnetics already present in the environments (Petrovsky et al. 1998; El Baghdadi et al. 2012). 123 309 Page 2 of 10 However, except by the study by Matasova et al. (2005) carried out in wastes of the mining industry in Western Siberia, Russia and very recently that of Pérez et al. (2014) accomplished in a metallurgical area in the San Luis Potosi State, Mexico; magnetic methods have not been applied systematically to the study of tailings in spite of the fact that magnetic measurements are sufficiently sensible to detect the magnetic signal of the minor fraction of ferromagnetic materials, in most of the cases with concentrations less than 1 % (Chaparro 2006). Their results remain scarce. Because of the more than 60 years of abandon, the Tlalpuhajua and El Oro mining districts, western Mexico (see below for details), represent a potentially pollution problem due to the more than 60 tons of wastes dispersed on the area estimated by Uribe Salas (2008). Aimed to overcome this situation, we focused on evaluating the potentiality of magnetic methods to reliably determine PTE concentrations in tailings in a faster and an economical way; magnetic susceptibility determinations (the key magnetic parameter used in this study) are lowcost, easy and fast to obtain. We report the relationships between magnetic susceptibility and pH with PTEs, monitored at 12 different vertical ground profiles in tailings of the Tlalpujahua and El Oro mining districts, western Mexico. Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 Fig. 1 Location map of the Tlapujahua-El Oro Mining District (TOMD) Corona-Chávez 2006 and references therein) and is emplaced over a Jurassic-Early Cretaceous rock basement (Centeno-Garcı́a et al. 2003), Fig. 2. The surface covered by the tailings dams was estimated by Martı́nez-Medina (2009) in approximately 62 ha. Samples Study area Historical background It is widely recognized that the extraction of metals in Mexico began since pre-Hispanic times (e.g. Horcasitas de Barros 1981; Maldonado 2005; Martı́nez-Medina 2009), while the formal mining activity until the XVI century, during the colonial era. In this time, a series of exposed silver and gold veins were located and exploited for more than five centuries in the heart of the modern cities of Tlalpujahua and El Oro (hereafter referred to as TOMD); which was known as the ‘‘Real de Minas of Tlalpujahua’’ (Corona et al. 2010) and where more than 60 tons of wastes were generated and disposed of, as estimated by Uribe Salas (2008). The TOMD is located at the boundaries of the Michoacán and Estado de Mexico states (Fig. 1) and is part of the hydrological basin ‘‘Lerma Santiago River’’ (Corona et al. 2010). Although the TOMD is recognized essentially as a gold-deposit, the mineralization in this district is considered as a part of the big-silver metallogenic province (Ostrooumov and Corona Chávez 1999; Albinson et al. 2001). The TOMD is located within the Miocene-Pliocene Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (Morales-Gámez and 123 Samples were taken from tailings belonging to two mining localities: Tlalpuhajua and El Oro, Michoacán and Estado de Mexico states, respectively. Tlalpujahua At the Tlalpujahua District thickness of tailings varies from 2 up to 48 m (Fig. 3a). According to Martı́nez-Medina (2009) textures are diverse, but using soil texture triangle recognizable horizons are classified as silty loam, sandy loam, loam sand, silty clay loam, silt, silty clay, medium loam and sand. El Oro Thickness of tailings at El Oro District varies from 1 up to 20 m (Fig. 3b). Textures of the tails correspond to loamy sand, silt, silty loam, clay loam and silty clay loam. In both cases, the textures are different and there is no predominance of any, except in the profile of El Carmen (Tlalpujahua), where certain homogeneity is observed, predominantly silty loam, because the deposit is the result of the overflow of the dam tailings Los Cedros in 1937. At both mining localities, samples of 1.5–2 kg in weight were taken within each profile every 20 cm, Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 Page 3 of 10 309 Fig. 2 Simplified geological map of TOMD. Modified from ‘El Oro de Hidalgo E14-A16’ chart of ‘Servicio Geológico Mexicano 2000’ Fig. 3 Current view of Cedros tailings dam at Tlalpujahua (a) and Tiro México at El Oro (b) packed into plastic bags and identified sequentially accordingly to the corresponding profile (S) and horizon (H). Particular attention of sampling was taken when clear evidence of different horizons was evident. Some isolated samples, when profile excavation was not possible, were also taken. In total, 12 profiles were sampled (Fig. 4); eight from Tlalpujahua and four from El Oro, yielding 57 samples. Samples were dried by placing them in an oven at a temperature \40 °C for a period of 12 h, and were then homogenized by quartering. Finally, they were stored in hermetic cylindrical PVC containers. Methodology Background Based on the results of a geochemical and mineralogical study on the variations within Au-tailings from 123 309 Page 4 of 10 Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 Fig. 4 Location of sampled sites XRF methodology The procedure for pressed-pellet sample-preparation and XRF analysis are widely described elsewhere (e.g. Lozano and Bernal 2005). Chemical composition of samples was determined by X-ray fluorescence using a Xenemetrix energy dispersion spectrometer (EDXRF X-Calibur, with Rh tube and a Beryllium detector) at Laboratorio Universitario de Geofı́sica Ambiental (LUGA) facilities. Fig. 5 SiO2 vs Fe2O3tot plot from the mining district Tlalpujahua-El Oro Tlalpujahua-El Oro mining district, Corona et al. (in preparation) noted certain linear variation between some mayor element (ME) oxides (CaO, MgO, Al2O3, Fetot) when plotted against the corresponding SiO2 and pH values. Worth of noting for the aim of the present study is the inverse linear relationship between SiO2 (the oxide normally used in geochemical studies as an evolution parameter, depending on the mineral phases that crystallize) and Fetot (Fig. 5). Based on this observation, it seems natural to follow a symmetrical approach to that employed in geochemical analysis but using the Fe concentration (or alternatively magnetic susceptibility, which is the key parameter used as a proxy in magnetic studies) as the basis for an alternatively magnetic methodology for the study of PTEs, see below. 123 Magnetic methodology Magnetic susceptibility is directly proportional to the quantity and grain size of the ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic materials in a sample (Verosub and Roberts 1995). Therefore, among other information, magnetic susceptibility measurements provide a straightforward and rapid estimation of the iron content (Fe concentration) in a sample. Powdered samples were packed into standard 10 cc cubic plastic containers for the magnetic analysis. These specific bulk magnetic susceptibility (k) and percentage frequency-dependent susceptibility (%XFD) measurements were carried out using a Bartington MS2 susceptibility meter at LUGA facilities. Alternatively, the identification of the magnetic carriers within the samples was accomplished by means of continuous low-field hightemperature susceptibility (k–T) curves or saturation-magnetization curves (thermomagnetic curves) using standard techniques at LUGA. Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 Page 5 of 10 309 Physical–chemical analysis Electric conductivity and pH measurements were done at the chemistry lab of the ENES facilities using a multiparametric kit HI 2020. Results Most samples present null and/or very low frequency dependence of k (%XFD % 0), except those situated at the very upper part of the profiles (10 % B %XFD B 15 %). This fact reflects a considerable amount of superparamagnetic particles (SP) within the particulate matter (PM) \0.03 lm. In most of the cases, magnetite or Ti-poor titanomagnetite seem to be the main magnetic minerals within the samples, with variable proportions of other weaker phases (Fig. 6). Magnetic susceptibility values of tailing samples were plotted against their corresponding XRF-determined Fe concentrations (FeXRF) values. The results of such correlation are presented in Fig. 7. Note the tight correspondence between k and Fe concentrations variations. This correspondence seems to hold also for pH variations (Fig. 8). It is also worth noting the predominantly alkaline character of most of the tailings (7.5 \ pH \ 8.5), associated to very low conductivity values (EC \80 lS/cm), which suggests an active leaching processes within the tailings. Following this approach, the plots of different trace elements (TE) present in the tailing samples make evident the correlation between these elements and the iron content (Fe concentration) (Fig. 9). Figure 10 shows the individual regression that best represents the correlation between some TE concentrations with the corresponding FeXRF within the samples. In order to verify the above presented correlations, TE concentrations of tailing samples were plotted against Fig. 7 k values of tailing samples vs their corresponding XRFdetermined Fe concentrations (FeXRF). Tight correspondence between k and Fe concentrations variations is observed corresponding volume susceptibility j. Figure 11 shows the obtained correlations. Discussion and concluding remarks In a study carried out in lake sediments of lake Nechranice, the captive area being typical for intensive industrial and mining activity from Northern Bohemia, Petrovsky et al. (1998) found no positive correlation with magnetic susceptibility of toxic elements present in the samples, except for Mn; arguing that the practically random observation of magnetic susceptibility data could be caused by complex effects of various pollution sources. On the contrary, Matasova et al. (2005) found an inverse correlation between Pb and Zn content in the upper ground layer and magnetic susceptibility in an environmental study of areas polluted with wastes of the mining industry in Western Siberia. The authors concluded that the mechanisms responsible for the relationships between magnetic characteristics of the deposit and the degree and characteristic of its pollution should be quite different from those in industrial and urban areas. Fig. 6 Representative thermomagnetic curves. Both curves show similar single ferrimagnetic phases (Ti-poor titanomagnetite). Curie temperatures (Tc) of the ferrimagnetic phases are quite similar 123 309 Page 6 of 10 Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 Fig. 8 pH vs k within the tailing samples. A close correspondence variation is also observed. Abbreviations on the horizontal axis are as follows: S stands for profile while H for horizon, so that S5H1 corresponds to sample taken from horizon 1 at profile 5 Fig. 9 Overview of trends followed by different trace elements (TE) with the iron content (Fe concentration) Sarris et al. (2009) also confirm that magnetic susceptibility measurements provide the basis for an environmental study in polluted areas with the results they obtained in an environmental study for pollution in the area of Megalopolis power plant (Peloponnesos, Greece) where a very high correlation among magnetic properties; specially between v and Fe was observed. Likewise the former study, some other recent investigation (e.g. Zhang et al. 2012; Pérez et al. 2014) relates the enhancement of magnetic susceptibility values with increased concentration of PTEs based on the high positive correlation coefficients between these elements and magnetic susceptibility. It is worth noting, however, that the outcomes and conclusions of these studies are the result of investigations carried out mainly on surface soils collected in the vicinity of the tailings and on farmland soil irrigated with polluted river water in the vicinity of a steel plant, respectively. 123 As properly pointed out by Matasova et al. (2005), mining wastes seems to belong to a special class of objects that has not been sufficiently investigated by magnetic methods, in which an inverse correlation between PTE and magnetic susceptibility exists. Such an inverse correlation could be explained in terms of the combined results of the active leaching processes and significant differences in atomic weight between Fe (*55.8) and some PTEs (e.g. As: *74.9; Pb: *207.2). Samples at the bottom show low (high) Fe(Pb) concentrations. This relationship varies inversely through the profile so that at the upper part of the tailings higher Fe concentrations and lower Pb concentrations are observed (Fig. 12). In the case of elements with similar atomic weights to that of Fe (Cr: *52.0; V *51.0), direct linear correlations between them are observed (Fig. 13). On the other hand, recent environmental investigations include a series of rock-magnetic measurements (e.g. NRM, IRM, SIRM ARM, etc.), and the calculation of different ratios (e.g. S, XLF/SIRM, FD/ARM, etc.) as indicators of pollution in addition to magnetic susceptibility determinations. Their use is widely employed and represents a comprehensive way to fully characterize the magnetic mineralogy. However, their inclusion in any environmental study protocol would make magnetic investigations lose some of their distinctive characteristics which make them nowadays an alternative to traditional techniques as a proxy for heavy metal pollution investigations; namely, speediness, easiness and economy. Furthermore, pH measurements seem to be also an indirect and complementary sign of variation in Fe concentration and, consequently, of potentially polluted areas. Among the analyzed elements, Pb and As versus j plots show the highest correlation coefficients. Magnetic susceptibility, along with k–T curves, can be used as a preliminary fast and inexpensive method in the evaluation of PTE content in mining wastes. Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 Page 7 of 10 309 Fig. 10 Trends followed by different trace elements (TE) plotted against SiO2 content (left part) and against the iron content (Fe concentration, right part). Note the higher R2 value for plots on the right side, compared to the corresponding value for plots on the left part 123 309 Page 8 of 10 Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 Fig. 11 a, b Trends followed by different trace elements (TE) with magnetic susceptibility (k) 123 Environ Earth Sci (2016)75:309 Page 9 of 10 309 Fig. 12 Pb vs v plots along a single profile. Samples at the bottom of the profile show low v values that gradually increase, up to higher values at the top of the profile. The situation for Pb is the opposite; gradually decreasing values from bottom to top of the profile Fig. 13 Cr and V (atomic weights close to that of Fe) vs Fe concentration plots. 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